Erlanger goes wireless

Erlanger Health System has found a way to use wireless Ethernet at patients’ bedsides to improve patient care and staff productivity. By using IEEE 802.11a as the basis for its wireless LAN, Erlanger has avoided any possible interference with other sensitive medical equipment.

Erlanger Health System has found a way to use wireless Ethernet at patients’ bedsides to improve patient care and staff productivity. By using IEEE 802.11a as the basis for its wireless LAN, Erlanger has avoided any possible interference with other sensitive medical equipment.

Erlanger’s staff uses a mobile medical workstation to order tests, treatments, and medications at the patient’s bedside – plugging into the patient’s electronic chart. And the user’s voice and data access can be universal regardless of whether the user is in a main location or a branch office.

According to John Haltom, Erlanger’s network director, “We can now provide anytime, anywhere communications to the nurses. With the simplified administration station, we feature consistency across both voice and data networks.” Erlanger’s mobile medical stations also include a Nortel i2050 software phone on the workstation. Staff can use the softphone over the WLAN for voice communications.

For access to information like medical records or the pharmacy, Erlanger’s network uses a secure VPN connection. The workstation includes a single user interface presented by an application-based front-end, so the user can access multiple applications in the Erlanger back office.

Erlanger’s physicians have also tried wireless tablet PCs, but according to Haltom, most doctors find the tablets “clunky.” They are, however, quite interested in using wireless PDAs and expect to see expanded use of PDAs in the future. Another potential application for future consideration is allowing patient access to applications like instant messaging or even a softphone to increase the patient’s bedside communications options.

Says Haltom, “Even as a hospital, we’re in a competitive environment. Anything we can do to improve staff productivity or the patient experience improves our ability to stay competitive.”